Facebook and Instagram users won’t see any official PlayStation content in their feeds this July. Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) revealed it is halting all of its social media activity on those platforms (as first reported by GamesIndustry.biz). This is in support of the recent #StopHateForProfit campaign, which urges marketers to pressure Facebook to do more to eliminate hate groups and offensive content on its platform.
SIE explained this decision in a statement:
In support of the #StopHateForProfit campaign, we have globally suspended our Facebook and Instagram activity, including advertising and non-paid content, until the end of July. We stand for working (and playing) together for good.
The campaign claims Facebook is responsible for providing a platform for bad-faith actors who target marginalized groups. The argument is that Facebook tends to let these groups operate and grow because it’s good for its bottom line. For companies advertising on the platform, having ads show up next to hateful content is bad for their bottom line. The situation has led companies like Coca-Cola, Honda, and Starbucks to demand that Facebook do more.
Sony Interactive Entertainment is joining Microsoft in this effort. The Xbox company reportedly put a hold on its Facebook and Instagram spending in late June.
Of course, Microsoft still owns a 1.3% share of Facebook’s stock. And the companies recently partnered to have the Facebook Gaming livestreaming-video platform take over Microsoft’s now-shuttered Mixer business.
While #StopHateForProfit hits Facebook where it hurts, CEO Mark Zuckerberg is resisting any meaningful change. He reportedly told staff earlier this week that advertisers will return “soon enough.” And with Microsoft and Sony looking to market next-gen consoles this holiday, Zuckerberg is probably correct.
